Guardians
by BML Hillen-Keene
Summary: Well, if Taz had met Flint and Tanis as a child, this is what I think would have happened. This wll most likely be a series of one-shots, youhave been warned.


_Disclaimer: own nothing._

_Ok, I have been a serious fan of this series of books for years, it has been a long, long time since I read them, but as the books are in Ireland and I am in England that cannot be helped. This story just struck me, and might become the first in many little one shots. I always found the relationship between Flint, Tanis and Taz to be the most interesting, so I have taken great liberties with when they all met, for the purposes of this story Flint and Tanis met Taz when he was young, only about eight or nine._

Taz was a child, and as he sat on the fur rug in front of flints fire, playing with two carved figures Flint had made for him, one arm in a sling, his face and body dotted in countless bruises, Flint, and Tanis could not help but hate those who had hurt him. Oh, Taz didn't fully understand what had happened to him, or why, and they doubted he ever truly would. For Kenders knew nothing of fear, so the lesson the travellers in solace had tried to teach him held no meaning. Taz had taken something from them, in that innocent, almost unknowing way he always did. Normally the dwarf or half elf was close by and could diffuse a situation. But Tanis had been fishing that morning, and Flint had sent Taz off in some annoyance when the child became too annoying, and disrupting his work, something he would not be doing anytime soon again.

So Taz had taken something that was not his to take, and the travelling warriors had taken offense at the little thief, ignoring those in town who had tried to explain that he was just a boy, that he was under the protection of Tanis and Flint, and that they would deal with him. The fact that Taz had not looked at them in any kind of fear, puzzlement yes, but no trace of fear, had somehow driven the men into an even bigger rage than his taking the small bauble. So they had dragged the kender out of the village while someone ran to get Flint, who the town knew would want to know about this, and had proceeded to try and 'teach' Taz a lesson in fear.

Thankfully they had gone on the direction of Tanis' favourite fishing hole, so the half elf heard them and had gone to see what was happening. Though the beating they had given Taz had hurt him, and badly, and the boy had been in absolute tears from the pain of a freshly broken arm, not understanding in his youthful innocence just how painful such things were, it was not in fear, but in honest confusion, and this had driven the men to even greater lengths. Had not Flint and Tanis chosen that exact moment to launch separate attacks, neither knowing the other was there to begin with; Taz might well have ended up in a worse shape than he was now.

Tanis had tried to talk with Taz, to discuss what had happened, but Taz had just looked at him in bewilderment, unable to understand what he was trying to explain. finally Tanis had settled on just telling him to be more careful when he 'accidently' took things, and Taz had cheerfully agreed, beaming happily when Flint had presented him with the two little carvings of an elf and a dwarf that the boy seemed rather taken with. it was with much grumbling to hide his pride when Taz had announced that the dwarf carving would be called Flint, and the elf would be Tanis, even though they were no likeness' to either of them. But it made the kender happy, and though he did not feel fear, his two 'almost' guardians did, and they had felt it today when they had seen Taz tossed about like a rag doll, crying in agony.

Flint was already working on another carving, one that was turning suspiciously into a kender shaped one, and h knew it was his way of dealing with what had happened. Tanis sat beside Flint, watching Taz as he played, perfectly content, and worried his lower lip. There was always a chance that of this happened once it would happen again, and they could hardly protect Taz all the time, the boy was too wild to keep track of every minute of every day. But they would try.

_Yes, yes, really short, and really terrible, but like I said, it had to be written. Lol. Please Review!!!!!!!_


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